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Variation in Anti-Predator Behavior Among Five Strains of Inbred Guppies, Poecilia reticulata

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Abstract

Quantitative genetic studies frequently utilize inbred strains of animals as tools for partitioning the direct and indirect effects of genes from environmental effects in generating an observed phenotype, however, this approach is rarely applied to behavioral studies. Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, perform a set of anti-predator behaviors that may provide an ideal system to study how complex behavioral traits are generated. To assess the utility of ornamental guppies in quantitative genetics studies of behavior, we assayed five morphologically distinct strains of ornamental guppies for response to predator cues and for variation in response among strains. Despite individual variation, all five strains responded to predator cues and differences among strains were found for all assayed behaviors, including measures of boldness and predator avoidance.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to thank Eíllen Rodriguez for assistance with filming and animal care and CISAB for financial and technical support. Dr. Stephanie Welter provided valuable feedback on experimental design. Dr. Mathias Kölliker provided invaluable statistical advice. The members of the Brodie lab and Dr. Teresa Dzieweczynski provided valuable feedback on a previous draft of the manuscript. We also wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their feedback in strengthening the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and the Center for the Integrative Study of Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Bronwyn H. Bleakley & Edmund D. Brodie III

  2. Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Christopher M. Martell

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  1. Bronwyn H. Bleakley
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  2. Christopher M. Martell
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  3. Edmund D. Brodie III
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Correspondence to Bronwyn H. Bleakley.

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Bleakley, B.H., Martell, C.M. & Brodie, E.D. Variation in Anti-Predator Behavior Among Five Strains of Inbred Guppies, Poecilia reticulata . Behav Genet 36, 783–791 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-005-9044-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-005-9044-5

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